While the Constitution of Zimbabwe stipulates that everyone has the right to citizenship documents, many people especially young people lack birth certificates and IDs in rural areas. Major challenges include broken families, parent’s death and lack of urgency to get IDs mainly due to lack of information on the importance of getting IDs among rural youths.
In some situations, young people`s parents have no IDs and birth certificates themselves which makes it difficult for them to get their own primary documents. Since the beginning of the year 2024, the organisation has continued to work with local stakeholders and government departments to help ordinary people get their primary documents.
The organisation encourages critical stakeholders like the institution of the church and traditional leaders to support efforts to assist those without IDs especially orphans Letters written by traditional leaders or the Church are important and recognised when assisting orphans to get their IDs. This means that the support of local leaders and the church is essential in assisting more people to get their primary documents. In the case of family separation (divorce) or broken families, CYDT encourages parents to put their differences aside to help their children get IDs. The organisation has come across situations were a youth has no ID and a birth certificate because his or her parents separated when he or she was young.
It is imperative that parents do not let their squabbles and infightings affect the life and future of their children. Primary documents open doors for many youths; having an ID means one can be accepted at school or university. One can register to vote or be accepted by a company as long as she or he has an ID; hence it is imperative that stakeholders offer their support to assist those without IDs and birth certificates.
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